Cost analysis for using Super Hard Alloy for the Antimony

[donnrcp]

OK, it's time to see if I've got this right. I have been casting Lee 1 oz slugs and using what appears to be pure lead I get at a recycling center. One time, I was able to get 13 lbs 15 oz of 40% tin and lead bars. If my goal is the hard cast recipe for making pistol boolits (2% tin, 6% antimony, 92% lead) I need a source for antimony. Looking at 10 lb batches I have the following breakdown:
6% of 10 lbs is 9.6 oz
2% of 10 lbs is 3.2 oz
92% of 10 lbs is 9lb 3.2 oz

One 5lb bar of Super Hard has 1.5 lb of antimony, 1.5lb is = 24 oz, 24oz is = 2.5 batches of 10lb hard cast alloy. 25 lbs of hard cast is = 875 200 gr bullets.

40% tin is 6.4oz tin per lb of 40/60 which is 1/2 lb per 10lb batch

1/2 lb 40/60 tin/lead+2lbs super hard+7 1/2lbs pure lead= 10lbs hard cast

Super Hard is 19.99 per about 5lb from Roto Metals

I have enough tin for 27.875 10lb batches of hard cast which is 9756.25 200 gr bullets

25lbs of hard cast is 875 bullets, 9756.25 bullets/ 875 is = 11.15 bars of super hard

11.15 x 19.99= $222.89

222.89/ 9756.25= $0.023 per bullet for the antimony

11.15 x 5 = 55.75lbs

9756.25 bullets is = 278.75lbs

278.75-55.75= 223

223lbs @ 0.75 per lb = $167.25 or 0.017 per bullet for the lead and tin

Total is 0.017+0.023= 0.04 cents per bullet

That was fun, does it sound right?

Big question is there a cheaper source for antimony?

[Oreo]

You can buy pure antimony quite a bit cheaper. I hear its harder to get it to melt into your alloy / takes a long time, but it is in fact possible / doable.

[220swiftfn]

To answer your question, you can get antimony already in the mix by using clip-on wheelweights, or by using shot alloy (IIRC, chilled is 3%, magnum is 4%....)

HOWEVER, your intended use is the Lee slug, correct??? This mold is designed for PURE lead only, they recommend not even adding any tin.....


Dan

[runfiverun]

2/6/92 alloy for a slug? that just don't seem right.
anyway there are a couple of way's you can get there.
one is to just buy the 2/6 alloy from Missouri bullets, another is to buy some linotype and cut it in half with pure lead.
the lino route would be about 2 bucks a pound shipped then whatever your pure costs.
the 2/6 is about the same airc, I don't have a lot of uses for that alloy.
one other way to get it would be to buy some national brand cast err hard cast bullets, and melt them down, that's how I used to get it when I needed to make 4/6 alloy for my rifle boolits.

[donnrcp]

2/6/92 alloy for a slug? that just don't seem right.
anyway there are a couple of way's you can get there.
one is to just buy the 2/6 alloy from Missouri bullets, another is to buy some linotype and cut it in half with pure lead.
the lino route would be about 2 bucks a pound shipped then whatever your pure costs.
the 2/6 is about the same airc, I don't have a lot of uses for that alloy.
one other way to get it would be to buy some national brand cast err hard cast bullets, and melt them down, that's how I used to get it when I needed to make 4/6 alloy for my rifle boolits.

So far all I have cast with is pure lead or whatever I came away with from the recycling center. I am now using PC for my 45 ACP with soft lead and getting good results. With the info on this forum, I am attempting to learn more about casting and saving money! I have molds for 200 gr .452 and 124 gr 9mm with plans to do 357 mag. Maybe someday 270 Win.

[runfiverun]

plain ol ww's, or an alloy closer to 1/3/96 would do everything you need, 0.5/2/97.5 would be fine too, anything easy to get or make in this area will cover your needs.
the 2/6 alloy is fine, but totally unnecessary.

[Pilgrim]

Check with your scrap recyclers. I used to buy 95/5 solder (95% tin, 5% antimony) chunks for $6 per pound. The chunks were of a size that 8 chunks were about 1 oz. Pretty cheap sweetener. You can also buy 50/50 lead-antimony bars. I don't recall the price for those. Another source is winery's for tin. Small boutique wineries sometimes use tin foil over the corks for asthetic purposes. If you can get those scraps from their tasting room, it runs about 99.9% pure tin. You don't need much antimony. What is in CCWW is high enough to make some really hard bullets if you water quench. YMMV Pilgrim

[donnrcp]

Thanks for the info, I've developed a craving for linotype.......................Whatz haappeening?